Rugby

4:58 PM GMT Hollie Davidson will make history as she is set to become the first female to referee a men’s Challenge Cup rugby match later this month. Davidson, a former under-20 international, is due to officiate over Newcastle Falcons vs. Castres in the Challenge Cup. Australia’s Amy Perrett made history last year when she

2:01 PM GMT Police in Gwent, Wales, have said they are investigating after a racist social media post was aimed at Dragons winger Ashton Hewitt after their 20-3 defeat by the Scarlets in the PRO 14 on Friday. The club said it was “disgusted” by the “abhorrent” racist post and had reported the matter to

4:28 PM GMT The British and Irish Lions will discuss this month whether to visit South Africa as planned later in the year because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lions are scheduled to play eight matches in South Africa, including a three-Test series against world champions the Springboks, starting on July 3 in

1:02 PM GMT France fly-half Romain Ntamack faces several weeks on the sidelines, and could miss the start of the Six Nations, after suffering a double jaw fracture that requires surgery, the 21-year-old said. Ntamack suffered the injury in Toulouse’s Top 14 victory over Bordeaux Begles on Sunday. He was substituted with around 12 minutes

2:25 PM GMT South Africa’s preparations for the British & Irish Lions tour next year have been given a significant boost after it was confirmed their four major franchises will compete in the Rainbow Cup against PRO14 clubs. The competition will get under way on April 17 next year and see the Bulls, Lions, Sharks

12:45 PM GMT Concussions accounted for 20% of injuries suffered by rugby players in the English Premiership’s 2018-19 season and were the most common injury in matches for an eighth straight season, a Rugby Football Union (RFU) study has said. While the 2002-03 season had 42 concussions recorded in total, that number has since gone

12:36 PM GMT England and Saracens stars Owen Farrell, Maro Itoje, Mako and Billy Vunipola will head to the Six Nations in February without any club games after the postponement of the Championship. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a national lockdown the RFU announced that the Championship season will begin on March 6. Saracens,

2:06 PM GMT England fly-half Katy Daley-Mclean, who led the women’s team to World Cup victory in 2014, announced her international retirement on Friday. Daley-Mclean played 116 times for England and became the third-most capped English player after Sarah Hunter and Rochelle Clark when the Red Roses beat France in their November internationals. Her decision

1:53 PM GMT Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones faces a race against time to be fit for the start of next year’s Six Nations after he was ruled out for up to 10 weeks with a knee problem. Ospreys lock Jones, who is test rugby’s most capped player and has played 143 internationals, suffered the

6:33 AM GMT All Blacks captain Sam Cane is concerned that his bouts of concussion may affect his future health but says rugby officials in New Zealand are focused on minimising the risk of head injuries and are leading the way in player welfare. The openside flanker has suffered several concussions, most recently towards the

8:08 AM GMT When they sit down to write the Australian rugby almanac for 2020 it’s unlikely those involved will be able to keep it to one edition. We should, in fact, prepare ourselves for volumes II, III and IV, such was the chaos created by the coronavirus pandemic. Those involved with the game, no

2:02 PM GMT World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union and Welsh Rugby Union have confirmed they have received a solicitor’s letter which alleges a failure to protect players from the risks caused by concussions. The letter of claim, setting out their intention to sue, has been sent to the sport’s governing bodies with a total

3:20 PM GMT Sunday’s Champions Cup pool match between defending champions Exeter Chiefs and Toulouse has been called off after a number of Exeter players and staff tested positive for COVID-19, European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) said on Wednesday. Due to the public health guidelines in place, EPCR said Exeter cannot send a matchday squad

11:38 AM GMT Eddie Jones has been cleared to continue as a consultant for Japanese Top League side Suntory Sungoliath after the Rugby Football Union said there is no conflict of interest despite England and Japan being drawn in the same 2023 World Cup pool. “Eddie has had a consultancy agreement with Suntory for over

12:22 PM GMT Rugby World Cup holders South Africa have been drawn with Ireland for the 2023 competition while New Zealand are paired with hosts France. Last year’s semifinalists England are in the same pool as Japan and Argentina and Wales will have to get past Australia and Fiji. In Pool A, New Zealand and

6:32 PM GMT Associated Press LONDON — Rugby Football Union (RFU) chief executive Bill Sweeney has said English rugby officials have yet to receive any legal contact from the group of former players preparing claims for negligence against national unions. Steve Thompson, one of England’s 2003 Rugby World Cup winners, former England flanker Michael Lipman

2:51 PM GMT Nigel Owens, the most-capped referee in world rugby, announced on Friday that he has ended his 17-year international career. Owens, 49, became the first referee to officiate in a century of tests when he took charge of an Autumn Nations Cup clash between France and Italy last month. The Welshman it was

11:08 AM GMT Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has signed a two-year contract extension that will keep him in charge until the 2023 World Cup, Scottish Rugby announced on Thursday, making him Scotland’s longest-serving coach in the professional era. Townsend, who won 82 caps for Scotland, took over as coach in June 2017 and has been